Why would you pay $32 for a plastic bag? Because it’s not plastic, that’s why. Open-Editionâ€s embroidered taffeta shopping bags look like single-use plastic bag so you can make an ironic statement every single time you use it. Perhaps it would be a good gift as well? -Made in San Francisco by Open-Editions -Machine-embroidered taffeta -Bag measures 11.5″ x 22″ x 4″ -Developed in collaboration with Workshop Residence in 2012 ..read more

As you may have noticed, we haven’t had as many product posts in the past few months. Part of the reason is that design blogs aren’t as popular nowadays. The other part is that we’re busy with other projects and pursuits. We’ll keep BLTD up and running as a resource, but we’ll not be updating it as often. We’ll also be checking email much, much less. Thanks for continuing to use BLTD as a resource ..read more

There’s several self-watering pots out there in the marketplace, but this group by Nils Plöjel is delightfully straightforward. Each terracotta planter sits inside a reservoir of hand-blown glass. Fill the glass with water and let your plants absorb just what they need, simple as that. “Safe for indoor and outdoor use while the temperature stays above frost point.” Dishwasher-safe. Designer: Nils Plöjel X-small: 3.7h x 4.85″diam. Small: 5.2h x 6″diam. Medium: 6.5h x 7.4″diam. Materials: Terracotta, Glass ..read more

This is a super cute kid’s chair, but there’s something else pretty special about it: it is made from Ecothylene®, which is recycled plastic (check out YouTube for the video showing how it’s made or visit EcoBirdy directly.). It’s comfortable, light, and stable with a soft and friendly form. What else do you need for your kid’s drawing/making space? There’s a table, container, lamps, and sets available as well. Suitable for private as well as public spaces. Designer: Vanessa Yuan & Joris Vanbriel Material: Ecothylene® 14.9 x 13.7 x 19.6 inches Other colors available directly from EcoBir ..read more

Available in either a one-off or in a longer, track-style system, the HYT-001 Multi Hanger is a smart solution to hanging just about anything. Made of powder-coated steel, it’s sure to withstand all manner of use, whether it be in a public space or your own home. Optional track for more than 3x hangers beside each other; please contact LIXHT. Material: Steel, Powder-coated Dimensions: 18″ x 5″ x 1.5″ (Track version add 0.85″ to the depth, width multiplies 18″ x quantity of hangers) Made in Canada ..read more

If you don’t mind using a little old fashioned elbow grease to produce your morning orange juice, then you’ll want to consider the simplicity of this wooden juicer from KiBiSi and Muuto. The Turn Around Juicer stands on its own and fits the palm nicely. Shall I point out that this won’t need any updating as years come and go, unlike other electrical juicers? Plus, the juice will taste all the more sweeter knowing you made it yourself (and burned some calories whilst doing so). Turn Around Juicer Designer: KiBiSi Manufactured by: Muuto Dimensions (in): 5 h From our archives; originally posted ..read more

Talk about a great gift for someone that likes their honey, huh? This pretty Brass Honey Dipper from Los Angeles designer Deanna deVries is going on my wishlist pronto. Maybe I’ll get two- one for me and one to give. The Brass Coffee Scoop by deVries is also worth noting. Approx. 5″ long Also available from CRFT SHW ..read more

Picky about notebooks? Me too, and I just bought/backed the Panobook, a notebook intended for your desk. What’s so special about it? Well, it has a panoramic format (160 mm x 288 mm) that fits nicely in front of or next to your keyboard. A subtle dot grid lets you draw layouts easily (most prominently, three 16:9 boxes or quadrants) and a slip case is included for storage. Nice! Update: I think I may have found my forever notebook. I love the size and paper quality. I’ll reorder more whenever I get through my first three. Each notebook contains 50 sheets / 100 pages. Each page is 160 mm x 288 ..read more

So, are you back into the swing of things? You may have noticed we (I) took a long holiday break from BLTD. I needed it after a busy year with several different projects. Now, if I had had this Project Wall Planner, I could have encouraged my team to use the Gantt Chart method to organize our efforts and be more efficient. The poster-sized wall planner helps break down a project into defined tasks so everyone’s on the same page (literally). Add time constraints and track progress to reach your goal. Not quite sure how it works? Here’s a Project Wall Planner how-to. Environmentally friendly t ..read more

Headlight plus hat? Sign me up, because who knows what outdoor exploring we’ll be up to these winter evenings? The removable head lamp clips into and out of the beanie so you can charge (via USB) the 120-lumen light. I’d say this is an improvement over single strap headlamps, as the beanie is less likely to slip off the ol’ noggin, don’t you think? Could be a good gift, as well. One Size Fits Most Materials: Acrylic, polyester Updated price and link; originally posted Sep 29, 2016 ..read more